The Road Not Taken
by Popsicli
Summary: He had always wanted to tell Loki he loved him, but fear constantly held him back. With concealed chaos unfolding in Asgard, he wondered if he'd ever get that chance. / Slash, Loki/OC. Follows movie plot.
1. Prologue

Between all the doting and training the young prince of Asgard had been put through, it was a wonder how Thor ever found the time to simply play. Despite its seeming impossibility, the sight of his brother running around with his many friend in the palace gardens was not foreign to Loki. In fact, it was much more frequent than he liked, seeing as how his wonderful brother, who already received far more praise than himself, always forgot to include Loki.

_Thor, the favorite son._

Not that Loki would want to be there, of course, he wasn't the kind to be wielding around fake swords and saving little boys in wigs posing as fair maidens. No, his days were spent inside the palace. It was lavish, and there was always someone there to talk to if he wished. He could not shake the feeling though that, for him, no one **really** seemed to be there, so he retreated to books.

_Thor, the favorite son._

Still, the occasional need to escape the palace tugged at him. On one particular afternoon, he had finished his lessons early, and had not even had to stay after for punishment as he had gone without a single prank, a great accomplishment for the young boy. With nothing else to do besides sit on the couch in his chamber and stare out at his brother enjoying the garden, he decided to pay him and his group of friends a visit - welcome or not.

* * *

><p>No one paid him any mind as he exited the palace and walked onto the ground. The yells from Thor's friends signaled that they could not be far, and Loki barely had to walk before he saw the group. To him, it seemed like a bunch of boys wrestling, poking each other with fallen branches. He knew however, that in their heads every boy wore a shining suit of armor while fighting on the greatest battlefield of all. He watched them for a few moments before catching sight of another boy sitting somewhat away from the tussling group. Decorated with a straw wig and grass skirt, Loki realized the boy had been chosen as the fair maiden for the day. Curious to know what had brought the boy to this unfortunate fate, he proceeded cautiously in his direction. With Thor and his friends far too busy to notice him, and no where close to rescuing the maiden, Loki took the liberty of keeping him company.<p>

He was not far form the boy when he caught sight of Loki, and in an attempt to be friendly, Loki let out a hurried "Hello!" In place of the desired warmth was a surprised shout.

_Not quite silver-tongued yet._

Their eyes met for a moment, both distinct shades of green, but the other boy turned away with a slight blush and obligatory wave.

Loki stood there for a few moments, wondering what to do next. Though the sounds of the fighting boys could be heard clear in the background, the air between these two boys was silent and full of tension. Still a few feet away from the boy, Loki decided to break said silence.

"So why are you the girl?"

It was a blunt question, but this time the other boy shrugged and answered, "I volunteered."

From his slightly guarded tone, Loki knew the boy expected him to laugh.

"Oh," Choosing his words carefully, Loki made an attempt to not offend the boy, as he sensed something different in him from the others, "Actually, I rather like it."

"Really?"

The sudden energy and surprise in the boy's voice took Loki off guard, but he nodded in reply anyway. Seeing the boy brighten, Loki decided it would be alright to take a seat beside him. Silence again, though this time the type of silence that is no longer filled with tension, but inquiry. Loki moved to introduce himself.

"I am -"

"Loki, of course," the boy looked puzzled, as if Loki's name was as simple as knowing the color blue.

"I suppose you know that because of my father?"

"That, and Thor mentions you all the time."

_Mentions. That's all he had, no invitations. It didn't matter anymore._

"Then who are you? Thor hasn't mentioned you to me," Indeed, Thor never spoke of his other friends to Loki. The boy's spirits suddenly dropped, and Loki wondered if he had taken personal offense to his previous statement.

"Avaldr," he quietly answered.

Wishing to brighten the boy up again, Loki moved back to his original topic, "Are you always the lady?"

"Most of the time," replied Avaldr, who still seemed weary of Loki, "I'm just not a big fighter."

"Oh."

Looking at Avaldr, Loki could see a definite size difference between him and his playmates. Although they were still young, Thor and his friends towered over Avaldr, who was much closer to Loki's own size. The two sat in silence again, their attention being capture by the smallest legendary battle in the history of Asgard unraveling in front of them. It didn't take long for a plan to begin to brew in Loki's head.

_He'd always been particularly gifted with mischief._

He left Avaldr's side to walk over to the nearest tree on the grounds. It was like any of the other trees that surrounded the field of the garden in which they sat, yet still somehow spectacular. In fact, the entire garden had a perfection about it that was unattainable to any being of Midgard. Even the grassy area in which his brother stomped around was beautiful. Regardless, it did not stop Loki from reaching up and snapping two branches free from the tree. He carried them back to Avaldr, who had been watching him in curiosity, and held out one of the branches.

"No one would suspect a maiden to attack warriors," said Loki, with his yet-to-be infamous, mischievous smile.

It took a moment for the plan to register in Avaldr's head, and another moment of clear hesitation, but he soon reached out for the branch.

"Why do you have one then? You're not a maiden!" He joked, and watched as Loki mulled it over. In the next second, Loki had taken the straw wig from atop Avaldr's head, revealing short, golden, curly hair, and placed it on his own. He paused when a slight laugh escaped Avaldr.

"Is something wrong?" Loki wondered if he had made a mistake and managed to look more ridiculous than Avaldr had.

He had no reason to worry though, for he was met with a smile, "No, actually, I rather like it."

_Maybe Loki rather liked **him**._

The two hid their branches, and waited for Thor and his friends to finish their battle.

* * *

><p>It was just before dark when, finally, victors emerged from battle. Among them, as Loki had predicted, was Thor, who always seemed to be on the winning side. Every game ended with them saving the maiden, so as they looked around for where they left Avaldr, Loki saw his brother catch sight of him. Thor's friends soon took notice of the other maiden who kept Avaldr company, holding back laughs that were fighting to the surface. Only after Thor had burst out laughing had the others followed, as if making sure it was okay.<p>

"Loki!" Thor said, calming his laugh, "What are you -"

He charged. Loki ran, branch in hand, straight at the group of boys. The rustling sound from the grass skirt Avaldr was meant to wear signaled he was not far behind. The duo had managed to knock down three of the boys before they realized what was going on.

"That's not how you play!" Thor whined, and picked up his own branch to join in the second battle of the day. Loki ignored his brother, and continued to fight besides Avaldr as the other boys began to fight back. The majority of the two_ maidens'_ damage had already been done, however. Now that the stronger boys were at it, they barely stood a chance. Loki managed to knock one more boy down, but was immediately disarmed by Thor. Avaldr, seeing this, ran at Thor.

He'd overestimated his own strength. In a matter of seconds, he had hit Thor, lost his balance from the reaction force, and was soon joined by Loki on the ground. That was the day Loki learned he was not meant for close-combat battles. Surrounded, their defeat was obvious. Thor looked at Loki in slight disapproval, while his friends gave little shouts of victory. With the sun continuing to set on Asgard, the group dispersed, leaving Loki and Avaldr still on the ground.

_He thought it would work._

The two sat there, recovering from the fray, when Avaldr turned to Loki, smiling.

"That was fun!"

Loki, taken aback by his statement, looked at him, confused, "But we lost."

"I expected us to," Avaldr admitted, getting up and stepping out of his grass skirt, returning to his normal pants-wearing self. "It was nice to have a friend to fight with though."

_Maybe he was someone's favorite._

Loki paused and then, still clad in his horrid straw wig, admitted that, yea, it had been nice.


	2. Celebration

"So you aren't going then?"

"I've told you, I feel ill."

"And if I said, for the third time, that I did not believe you?"

"Then you could ask your question again, but I assure you it wont make me feel any better or get you to the party any sooner."

The two men looked at each other from across Loki's chamber. Lavish decor of green and gold couple with elegant furnishings reflected his tastes. Large windows, which now only let in the dim light of dusk, complimented a beautiful high ceiling, intensifying the look of the room. However, they were overshadowed. Though the room itself was lovely, the air that filled it was foul. Not by smell, but polluted with tension. The uncomfortable feeling that arises when only the best of friends or the oldest of married couples are bickering. It was by far the most prominent thing in the room.

Loki rose from his bed, deciding to put a stop to Avaldr's futile attempts to coax him downstairs. Though good-hearted, Loki had plans of his own tonight, ones he most certainly could not share even with Avaldr.

"Its Thor's coronation celebration!" protested Avaldr, as he watched in awe from the doorway as Loki simply shrugged and grabbed a bottle from one of the tables nearby.

"I am sure," retorted Loki as he crossed his chamber and over to where Avaldr stood, "that Thor would prefer his brother to be in good health over celebrating. Besides, its not his real celebration. His coronation, if I am correct, takes place tomorrow."

_And what a unneeded celebration it was. _

"But Loki-" Avaldr cut off as Loki thrust the bottle he had picked up into his hand.

"If you're so concerned with me being there, then go find something to cure me."

"What is it that's wrong with you?"

"Everything."

Loki struggled to hold back a smirk as Avaldr looked at him in frustration.

"Must you always make things so difficult?" said Avaldr eventually, sighing.

"It is my specialty," Loki turned to head back to his bed, "Now will you leave me to rest or will I have to call the guards?"

He laughed, and it hung on the air, as if waiting to see if it would be accepted by Avaldr. When his friend seemed set on not reacting to his joke, Loki spoke again.

"You know I'm joking, Avaldr."

"Yes, I do actually," He shot Loki a knowing look, but then looked back down at the bottle still in his hand. He walked to go place it back on the table which Loki had taken it from. "I don't think the cure you _need_ can be bottled."

"You will still try to find it though?"

"Of course, I have nothing better to do."

It made Loki happy to hear that sarcastic tone again, "You do think of me so."

"Much more than I should," Avaldr shook his head and exited his friend's chamber, but left behind words that held more truth than he ever wished Loki to know. Perhaps under normal circumstance, Loki would have detected that truth. However, the moment he was sure Avaldr was gone, he set to work on his plan for the evening. Tomorrow was, after all, his brother's _big day._

* * *

><p>The palace, save Loki's chamber, was bursting with celebration for tomorrow's grand coronation. The majority of the inhabitants of Asgard joined in the feast on the ground floor, accompanied by music and dance. It was a spectacular sight with lively guests and talented entertainers. One would have to wonder how the celebration the following day could ever top the one unfolding, yet somehow, the Asgardians always outdid themselves.<p>

As Avaldr joined the main festivities, he could not help but feel slightly out of place. Unlike his friend, Avaldr did not mind the occasional party and held many of the other Asgardians in fondness. Unfortunately, being one of Loki's closer friends did not come without its consequences. He always felt as if the other Asgardians expected he was up to something. Sure, they had reason to. He had, perhaps, listened to Loki slightly too much throughout adolescence. It had earned him far more trouble than he needed on multiple occasions, but upon reaching adulthood he had trained himself to finally say no. At least, the majority of the time...

...or slightly less...

...A good fifty percent of the time Avaldr had kept himself out of whatever trouble Loki brought to him. He felt quite sincerely that this should have spared him from other's suspicions. He was no threat without Loki's mastermind anyway.

Avaldr stood, taking in the scene. It was a harmonious balance between chaos and order, but it still kept him from noticing any acquaintances. With slight uneasiness, he elected to take a seat at one of the tables. Slipping discretely into a chair near the table's end, he attempted to tune into the conversation at hand. It did not take long for him to discover the source of the topic.

"About fifty of them, wouldn't you say, Volstagg?"

"Closer to a hundred!"

"A hundred dare you say? Hogun, would you agree?"

A slow nod came from the third man. The Warriors Three.

Fandral the Dashing, and dashing he was indeed, lead in the telling of one of the heroic adventures the three had been on. The maidens at the table seemed particularly interested. Volstagg, who was enjoying his food eagerly, and Hogun occasionally added their comments to the story. Though not personally acquainted with them, Avaldr enjoyed listening to their tales.

"Right, up in the mountains and somewhere between fifty to a hundred wolves swarm," the table gasped as Fandral continued on, quite calm himself, "we hadn't meant to cut into their territory but it simply-"

"That cant be right."

The words slipped out of Avaldr's mouth far too quickly and loudly for him to reel them back. Suddenly, silence. The table turned to look at him, acknowledging his presence for the first time. Fandral in particular leaned further onto the table, expecting Avaldr to justify himself.

"Wolves...well, wolves wouldn't travel in groups that large," He could see the table stirring now, beginning to look at the Warriors Three as well. Soon, Volstagg and Hogun joined Fandral in staring down Avaldr, who sat surrounded in tension.

_The cumbersome god, that's what he should have been._

"Which means, of course, that you...must have been facing off against multiple packs. Well done!" His attempt to reconcile the situation seemed to have worked, as the table grew more impressed by the story.

'Aha yes!" Volstagg was the first to lighten up. Rising, plate in hand, he moved to take a seat closer to Avaldr. "Someone get this alert boy some food to enjoy the story to!"

The table laughed, and the Warriors Three went on about their story, whose other implications Avaldr went without correcting. Food and drink were brought to him, and it was not long before his spirits were lightened as well. Whether this was due to a full stomach or the wine, stronger than any midgardian could handle, was unknown.

* * *

><p>He couldn't help but be pleased with himself. Anyone, anyone with a sense of humor that is, would find it clever. Sure it was slightly risky, possibly reckless, but Loki had long ago learned to not care of what other thought of his actions. He knew they were always funny and <em>always <em>right.

It seemed the only light in Asgard that night came from the palace, which was ablaze from within due to celebrations. Even the powerful stars above seemed dwarfed by the light. The grounds of the palace, however, were vast, allowing a good portion of them to still be shrouded in darkness. Comfort. There would be no need to hide his self-satisfied glow here. No one to accused him of being up to no good. No reason to fight the smirk off his face. He had even allowed himself to walk with the smallest of springs in his step. So rarely had he a solitary moment in which to revel in his work. The silence found so far away from the palace, coupled with the cool night air, only improved the situation. It was perfect, as everything was in Asgard, but for once Loki did not mind.

He knew, of course, that he could not stay out there forever. His prolonged absence from the celebration could arise suspicion, especially if Avaldr had not told anyone of Loki's supposed ailment. He had snuck out only as long as required. Still, even as he pushed forward, he wished he did not have to go back. Not quite yet.

He moved on, closer to he palace, watching as shadow turned back into stone and tree and bush thanks to the palace's seeming luminescence. He worried for a moment if anyone would be out to see him returning, but his worries were left unfulfilled as it became obvious he was the only one outside. He entered the outer corridor leading to the entrance hall, and as he walked, he could not help but continue to be pleased. To see his actions come to fruition the following day would be enough, for now.

* * *

><p>The rest of the celebration had been wonderful. Avaldr had remained listening to the stories of the Warriors Three until Thor joined the table, accompanied by Lady Sif. Of course, upon his arrival, all attention turned to the soon-to-be king. Normal circumstance would have seen Avaldr politely congratulating Thor, as they had remained fairly friendly throughout the years. Slight inebriation disagreed with this. Fuzzy, Avaldr chose to break away from the group before getting himself into trouble. This merely lead to him standing against one of the walls, gently swaying to the music. Left to his own thoughts, he began thinking of Loki again.<p>

_They always had a different kind of fun, didn't they?  
>These celebrations weren't so bad though.<br>But he did miss him.  
>Every time Loki elected to stay out of parties he missed him.<br>Avaldr always missed him.  
><em>_**That trouble maker. **__  
>Maybe he shouldn't miss him, maybe he did really only cause trouble.<br>He was stubborn and sneaky and Avaldr didn't need him.  
>He could have fun on his own.<br>But oh how very much did his miss that smile.  
>That look.<br>That boy.  
>That stupid <em>_**trouble maker. **_

"Why don't you come dance with us Avaldr?"

Two of the female entertainers had spotted him standing alone, their words sparring him from his thoughts.

"I'd love to but I don-"

"Please!" The two women grabbed his hands. They were both beautiful, with long golden hair and clad in sophisticated yet, _enchanting_, clothing. Still, Avaldr was not drawn to them.

"Really I wouldn't-"

"Would you be terribly upset if I took him instead, ladies?" Loki's voice. Avaldr turned and saw him emerge from a group nearby. At Loki's words, the two entertainers bowed and left them.

"But...you're sick!" Blurted Avaldr, confusion amplified by the drink he had earlier.

"It seems the cure was actually just getting rid of you," Loki lead Avaldr over to a nearby bench, seeing the glaze in his eyes. Due to his good mood, Loki could not help but see the humor in his friend's ridiculous state. Avaldr sat down with a loud **thunk **as Loki took a seat gently besides him, "I felt much better after you left, you know. I wouldn't be surprised if I were allergic to you."

With his sensory for sarcasm at a low, a worried look flashed across Avaldr's face that Loki laughed at as he continued on, "I was just speaking with Thor when I noticed you getting into trouble with those women. Hypocrite. Accuse me of being up to no good while you're off enjoying yourself. Tell me, must I always save you?"

"At least I wasn't _dressed_ as a women this time," Avaldr managed to retort.

"Would that be a yes then?" Even with nostalgia setting in, Loki wouldn't let Avaldr live this down. He turned to look out at the celebration around them before further digging into the situation. Yet, with another **thunk **Avaldr dug into _him. _Given the moment to relax, he had drifted off, leaving Loki uncomfortably sitting with Avaldr's head digging into his shoulder.

They were a spectacle, if anyone had been paying attention. They seemed to contrast so greatly, Avaldr's standard Asgardian looks paired with Loki's so very different appearance. Short, golden, curly hair paired with straight black. Robes of soft gold and brown versus robes of black and green. One quite far gone complimenting one never really there.

Loki sighed and allowed Avaldr to have a few moments of rest. He could not help but glance over at him and feel the tiniest bit of amusement despite the pain in his shoulder. He had come to the conclusion that Avaldr was very much like his own pet; disobedient and annoyingly curious at times, but always adorably entertaining.

When Loki's patience had finally worn out, he decided the conventional way of waking one up simply would not do. He jumped up quickly from his seat and laughed yet again as Avaldr's head hit the bench, instantly waking him up.

"I really hate you."

"You liar."


End file.
